This product provides a range of information about the release of microdata from the Childhood Education and Care Survey (CEaCS), Australia, June 2011 including details about the survey methodology and how to use the Confidentialised Unit Record File (CURF) and TableBuilder. Data item lists and information on the conditions of use and the quality of the microdata, as well as the definitions used, are also provided.

Microdata are the most detailed information available from a survey and are generally the responses to individual questions on the questionnaire or data derived from two or more questions and are released with the approval of the Australian Statistician.

The CEaCS is collected every three years and is designed to provide a range of information about children aged 0–12 years and their families. The information collected includes the child care arrangements used by parents to care for their children, use of formal and informal care, cost and duration of the care and the attendance of children at preschool programs and other early childhood learning activities.

Data obtained in the survey but not included in the CURF or TableBuilder may be available from the ABS, on request, as statistics in tabulated form.

Subject to confidentiality and sampling variability constraints, special tabulations can be produced incorporating data items, populations and geographic areas selected to meet individual requirements. These are available, on request, on a fee for service basis. Contact the National Information and Referral Service on 1300 135 070 or client.services@abs.gov.au for further information.